Mausoleum construction.



F. C. SCHAEKEL.

MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION H LED SEPT; e, 1913.

y www@ WITNESSES'. INVENTOR.`

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK C. SCH'AEKEL 0F TOLEDO, OHIO',`ASSIGNOR. OF ONE-HALF TO HERBERT J.

CHITTENDEN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

MAUSOLEUM CONSTRUCTION.

Specication of Letters Patent. I

Patented Apr. 28, 1914.

Application led September 8, 1913. Serial No. 788,644.`

struction; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear, and exactidescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make. and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

ing crypts or cells built therein, and has particular reference to built up slab, structuresof this type asdistinguished from an integral Wall construction. In the use of structures of this character it is found that the liquid matter .which frequently seeps or drains from bodies reposing, therein, especially where death hasoccurred from dropsy or other diseases in which a surplus of liquid is present= in the system, oozes or slowly works through crevlces, ofpenjoints or cracks in the st-ructure walls and into adjoining or subjacent crypts, and j. also from the ends thereof into the common areaway customarily provided, thus becoming most offensive and objectionable by reason of the odors emanating therefrom and the liability of conveying diseases.

The object Aof my invention is to overcome the objections to mausoleums and vault constructions above noted by the provision of improved interlocking connections`v between the abutting edges or surfaces of adjoining slabs, whereby the seepage of liquid therebetween is preventedand the structure mal terially strengthened, thus enhancin the practicability and commercial value o such structure.

The invention is fully described in the lfollowingspecification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of dmbodiment `in numerous forms, al preferred lemloodinient thereof is illustrated in the' accqmpanying drawings, in whicli'- Figure 1 fi`s an end elevation of a plurality of cryptsfin a structure embodylng my 1nvention, with a portion in section. Fig, 2

-is a section on the line m, in Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of such section, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a plurality of floor and side'slabs in assembled interengaging relation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the common base of a structure ofthe class described, which may be of solid or sectional construction as desired, and 2 the tiers of crypts or cells disposed above the same.

The walls of the several kcrypts or Cells, as

built up in the present instance, are shown as comprising side slabs 3, bottom slabs 4, which" also form the ceilin s of subjacent cells, and removableV end sla s 5. The bottom and side slabs are substantially the same length, and each o f the bottom slabs 4 is provided at each end portion on its upper and lower sides with oneor more, preferably two, successive transversely extending ooves or recesses 6, with the bottom wal s of such grooves tapering outwardly from their inner edges, to provide a shoulder 7 -at the outer edge of each recess, with thebottom of one groove tapering from the shoulder at the outer edge -of the shown in Fig. 4. The slabs 4 abut at their side edges against adjoining slabs with .the

grooves 6 at adjacent ends of 'the slabs in register. Each of the slabs 4 is also provided adjacent t0 its side edges in the upper and lower surface thereof with longitudil nally extending grooves 8, which extend from the transverse groove 6 at one end to the similar grooves at the-opposite end of the slab. The grooves 8 are of slightly greater depth .than the grooves 6, or, at least, of sufficient depth to provide a shoulder Q between each end'of a groove 8 and the respective grooves 6. ,The top surface of the base 1 is also provided with grooves 8 in vertical register with respective grooves 8 in the superimposed slabs 4, and is provided at 'its end portions withtransversely extending tapered recesses 6 similar to those of the slabs 4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each side slab 3 is provided in its upper and lower edges at the yend portions thereof with stepped tapered surfaces 10 which are complemental to the grooves 6 of the ioor slabs and adapted to seat therein,

as indicated in Fig. 4, the upper and-lower sets of said tapered surfaces 10 seating against the lower and upper surfaces 6 of the respective slabs between which the side slabs are disposed. The slabs 3 are also provided in their sides at the end portions thereof with'tape-red grooves or recesses 6 which correspond in number, longitudinally register with, and are similar in form to the grooves 6 of the bottom slabs. The upper and-lower edges of eachY side slab 3 are formed with spaced parallellongitudinally extending tongues 11 which connect or substantially connect the tapered surfaces 10 disposed on the same edge of the slab. The tongues 11 are intended to seat lwithin the adjoining edge grooves 8 of abutting bottom slabs 4 -to tie such abutting sections together or prevent a separation of the joint therebetween, and to shoulder at their ends against the shoulders 9 at the ends of the respective grooves 8 whereby to coperate with the interengaging tapered surfaces 6 -and 10 to prevent relative endwise movements of the bottom and side slab sections. It will be noted that the ends of the edge portions of the slabs 4 disposed without the grooves 8 also form shoulders which abut against shallow shoulders 12 at the ends of the grooves formed by the associated tongues 11.

The provision of the joints above described, in addition to serving as a means for rigidly locking the slab sections against relative movements, also provides joints of a nature to prevent seepage of-liquid matter from one cell into a horizontally adjoining cell or into a subjacent cell or cells should the cement which is disposed between the joints become loose. It is evident that in order for liquid topass from the interior of one cell to the interior of a hori-, zontally adjoining cell, it is necessary for it to How upward at'two points in its course -of passageinescaping from the recess or grooves 8. .forming the longitudinally extending joints. l't is also evident that the liquid in passing from one cell to a lower adjoining cell is required to pass around the adjacent tongue 1l of the upper slab 3, thence down within the joint 13 between the adjoining edges of floor slab sections, and thenceupward and around one or the other of the tongues 11 at the upper edges of the lower side slab 3, so that the seepage ofliquid from the bottom of one cell to the adjoining cells is rendered practically impossible. due to the congealing nature of the liquid when its free passage is obstructed. With my improved form of interlocking joints the liquid, which does not congeal within the first recess and thus completely7 dam or stop upfthe passage therein, will almost invariably congeal in the second recess duc to the circnitous upward and downward course which it is required to take before'reaching an adjoining cell; It is also evident that the interengaging of the comvents the liquids from escaping from a cell lengthwise through the grooves formed by the tongue and groove joints, orshould the' liquid rise past one or the other of the shoulders 9-12, it would be required, in addition, to rise one or more times in` its passage over the successive tapered surfaces 6-10 as the case might be, depending upon whether the joint was at the top or under side of a floor slab.

The removable end slabs or closure members 5 are preferably, but not necessarily, tapered at their edges in opposite relation to the tapered surfaces 6 6', and one is intended to be disposed within each of the surrounding door grooves 6-6, being secured therein by cement 14 which fills the space around the edge of the closure member and necessarily takes the form of a wedge, as best shown in Fig. 3,r which wedge prevents a removal of the closure member, The cement wedges- 14 are held in position within the groove by coaction -with the shoulders 7 of the recesses in the open end portions ofthe crypts.l The inner closure member is intended to abut against a stop shoulder 15 at the inner edge of the innermost recess 6 6. It is evident that this manner of securing the closure members in position-within the crypt openings not only rigidly and firmly secures the members in position but eiectually prevents an outward seeping of liquid from the interior of a cell under or around the closure members should cement in the joints become loosened, in that the liquid is required to rise a plurality of times in its upward passage by reason of the shoulders 7 7. thus causing suiiicient congealing of the liquid to etlectually cooperate with the shoulders to seal the joint-s against a passage of liquid therethrough.

While the slabs of the structure are shown, in the present instance, as being of reinforced concrete, they may be of stone or other suitable construction, the material of the same not entering into the present invention.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any speciic construction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,- l

1. In a structure of the class described, a plurality of slabs built up to form cells, the side, floor and ceiling slabs having double tongue and groove interlocking joints cX tending longitudinally thereof and having transversely extendin interlocking portions at one end thereof wlnch having a damming action with respect to the tongue and groove connections.

2. In a structure of the class described, a plurality of slabs built up to form cells, the side and oor slabs having tapered interengaging portions at their ends and having multiple tongue and groove connection .extending at an angle from said tapered portions, said tapered portions havin walls which intercept the free passage o liquid lengthwise through the tongue and groove joints. Y

3. In a structure of the class described, a plurality of slabs built up to form cells, the floor slabs having transversely disposed tapered grooves at at least one end Athereof and having longitudinal grooves adjacent toI its side edges, and side slabs having an'edge surface adjacent to one end complemental to said transverse grooves to interengage therewith and having longitudinally disposed tongues for fitting into longitudinal grooves of adjoining floor slabs to unite such slabs, said tapered grooveshaving walls which stand across the longitud/nal grooves to dam the same.

4. A cellular structure of the class described built up of slabs, with two floor slabs.

-said Hoor and side slabs having transversely disposed interengaging portions forming shoulders which stand in the plane of and intercept the longitudinally-eXtending interengaging portions to prevent the seepage of liquid therefrom and relative lengthwise movements of the interengaging slabs.

5. A cellular structure of the class describedbuilt up of slabs, with two oorslabs forming an abutting joint between adjoining cells and the side wall slab betweensuch cells provided at its lower edge with transversely spaced longitudinally extending tongues for interengaging with the -floor slabs, one at either side ofthe abutting edges thereof to prevent a separation of the joint, said Hoor slabs having adjacent ends thereof formed with longitudinally registering transverselydisposed grooves, the bottoms of which taper outwardly to form successive shoulders which intercept and form dams across the portions of the floor slabs with which said tongues interengage and the side slab having edge portions complemental to the transversely grooved portion of the adjoining ioor slabs for interengaging therewith.

6. A cellular structure of the class described built up of slabs, with the Hoor and ceilingslabs of the adjoining cells forming abutting joints therebetween and having their facing surfaces transversely recessed at their ends and longitudinally recessed adjacent to their side edges between the trans-A verse recesses, and with the side slabs provided at their upper and lower edges with transversely spaced longitudinally extending tongues for interengaging with [the longitudinal grooves ofthe floor slabs, one at either side of the abutting edges thereof to prevent a separation of the joint, the side slabs having end surfaces'for interengaging with the transverse' grooves of the floor and ceiling slabs to dam the .passage of liquid through `'the longitudinally disposed tongue and groove joints and to prevent relative longitudinal movements of the slabs.

7. A mausoleum crypt having successive recesses in th-e bottom wall of an end opening thereof, the inner wall of the inner recess projecting above the outer .walls of the recesses and the bottom of the recesses being outwardly and downwardly tapered, and closure members cemented within said recesses and adapted to be removed therefrom across the outer edge walls of the recesses whereby liquid is required to rise a plurality of times in an outward passage thereof under the closure member.

8. A cellular structure of the class described built up of slabs, with vthe vertical and horizontal slabs provided at adjacent ends with transvcrsely-extending recesses which register at Vthe ends thereof and having their bottoms tapered, a closure member disposed within said recesses, and cement interposed between the closure member edge and recesses to ret-ain the member therein, said' cement forming a wedge which coacts with the recesses to prevent a removal of the closure member therefrom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK C. SOHAEKEL.

IVitnesses: i i

S. T. KLOTZ, F. E. AUL. 

